Irish Skies

It has to be said that one of my favorite things about Ireland is the weather. We've enjoyed many sunny days there, but my mind's eye always see Ireland under gray, cloudy skies. And when I wake up at home to clouds and rain, I'm immediately more content with my world. Rainy days hold the promise of great accomplishments and quiet activities; glowing fires and numerous cups of tea; puddles and the sound of the wind in the trees.

We never let the weather stop us when we're in Ireland; during one trip we spent a day driving in gale force winds just because it didn't occur to us to stop. I always look damp and windswept in our vacation pictures - and it isn't always just because I have crazy hair. Why worry about getting damp when there's sure to be a cozy tea room or pub to warm up in. You can always find a spot by a warm fire and usually someone to chat with. And rainy weather has brought us many glorious rainbows in Ireland. Once we were at the top of a small hill in the West of Ireland and suddenly found ourselves fully encircled by a rainbow. All we could do was to stop the car, get out and revel in the experience. One of our truly magical moments.

As we feared, it rained yesterday, and the guys were in danger of missing their drag races. But the sun was out long enough for them to hold some of the races and they had a good time. We played indoors with the little kids, ate home-made potato soup, then went in quest of rain boots, which we did not find. But we found some online and we'll be better prepared for the next rainy day.